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Currently, the government receives 7% of its energy from renewable sources, but the goal is to hit at least 20% by 2020. Thanks to technological advancements and a rising interest in weaning the country off of foreign oil, the Obama administration believes the 20% figure is a reasonable mark to hit by the end of the decade.

According to the President, this step is necessary “to promote energy security, combat climate change, protect the interests of taxpayers, and safeguard the health of our environment, the federal government must lead by example.” He’s right: there’s no better way to demonstrate to the American public that we can rely on sustainable energy sources than by having government agencies become early adopters.

Still, no matter how large the federal government, “leading by example” as Obama calls it will not be enough to avert global catastrophe. Companies and individuals will indeed have to follow suit in signing on for renewable energy sources. The administration will help to force some of these changes by putting caps on power plant emissions and strengthening vehicle emission standards moving forward.

The switch to renewable energy is not just good for the environment, but also the American economy. Even as most industries have floundered during the recession, the renewable energy continued to grow thanks to the rising demand. Moreover, the expanding industry creates new jobs, which in turn cuts unemployment.

While Obama may have settled on 20% because it was achievable, other nations are setting their sights higher. Scotland, for example, boosted its 2020 marker from 50 to 80% reliance on renewable energy and further pledges that by 2025 it will be at 100%.

Solar, wind, and geothermal power are the future. We must change the old failed paradigm of the dirty centralized fossil fuel plant, and replace it with decentralized solar power all over the world. Transferring electricity from a dirty coal, or natural gas plants results in a loss of electricity over distance. Every home, school, or hospital should have solar power. Solar power plants should be built on former landfills, brownfields, on the sides of highways, or on available land not used for agriculture. Offshore wind must be expanded along with more land based wind farms, and geothermal plants. Natural gas fracking must be banned, because it poisons our water supply and pollutes our air. Nuclear also must be eliminated because it produces nuclear waste, which must be stored for tens of thousands of years. Coal plants must be eliminated also, because they emits mercury and other poisons into our air. Electric cars must replace gas cars, to get us off dirty polluting oil, and clean up our air. All oil drilling must stop. What is underground, needs to stay underground.